petespeak

I have just discovered these and plan to use them exclusively this spring for back bay applications. I'm the kind of fisherman who is forever searching for a "better mousetrap". The terminal tackle we use today is decades behind the engineering magic that creates our rods and reels...asrtonaunt's don't tie knots, so why should I?

Weakfish + Fluke + White Perch=winner winner fish fry dinner.

Both sides of Manasquan Inlet are perfect for your needs. Park and fish just a few paces from your car.

I agree: Ugly stick inshore for beginners: durable, casts well enough, best ban /buck, better performance than any rod for the budget minded beginner. 7-7'6" for you, 6 footer for your kid. Phlueger's President line of reels at Dick's is a decent buy for beginners. I went this route myself with plans to upgrade when the need presented itself. So far still fishing my President trout reel and it catches fish. I do not think the fish can tell what reel you use, but judgmental type fisher folks might throw you some shade. Peer group pressure does not end on the playground...haha...and expensive fishing lures are meant to catch guys who chase shiny objects. My rule of thumb when buying anything: buy the best you can afford, but temper your decision based on how much you will use it and spend accordingly.

I've owned or handled every mid to high end spinning reel and IMHO the best bang for 500 bucks is the VR75. This lightweight powerhouse can handle any fish you will catch on East Coast beaches and outback. Great for wade fishing the flats, inshore boat fishing, surf fishing for albies on a light weight whipping tipped rod, or jig for stripers in your kayak...sealing, great drag...and did I mention lightweight? Only 9 ounces and small change? This reel can handle all your fishing needs from the surf, jetty, boats, flats, tidal creeks...and swim fishing with a lightweight setup is a dream. Find a a lightweight, fast/moderate action, 8-9'6" rod rated in the neighborhood of 3/8oz to 2oz and you are good to go for just about anything you will encounter besides Russian submarines or sharks. It might take some getting used to for a traditionalist fisherman looking at a long rod with a tiny reel, but results are what counts...I started out with green coffee grinders and fiberglass broomsticks...50 years of progress took care of that...in my mind, the convenience of modern spinning gear outweighs the pleasure derived from fishing with old stuff just because it ain't broke yet.

I have 9'6" and 10'6" pre-graphene. I have tried several reels for the 9'6" and by far my favorite is a VR 75. These blank's are old stock. New Slingshots all have graphene added for strength. The only rod I ever broke is the 10'6" Slingshot without graphene. The rods were prone to breakage compared to the rest of their line, similar to what happened with St Croix and their Mojo line: Carbon blanks without the graphene filler added to the mix during manufacturing process are not as durable as those blanks with the graphene added to the carbon mix. Beware when buying these rods: I have seen many ads for older pre-graphene rods being sold for the price of the updated models with graphene. I really like the blanks but they are reserved for open beach plugging. High sticking on the rocks with pre-graphene Slingshots will definitely ruin your day.

As usual you have all your bases covered with the good stuff...as I have mentioned, I've been putting all my old-school gear to bed after a lifetime of abuse. I have filled the three basic surf ranges with an assortment of VanStaals, a pair of Century's, a Blackhole 10ftr, (and a pair of Saragossa 6000's for backup duties and offshore. Specialty setups: to be covered 100% I 'need':(reality check=over kill, haha): 1)11'6" Drum, shark, "swift-water jigster" 2)Ultra light 8'-6", vr50, capable of throwing 1/8 or so to 3/4 jigs, whippy tip, decent backbone: tiny plastics, mirro lures, etc. for distance. I was trying to "triple-duty" this rod: Ultra light oceanside, Back-Bay and kayak but it would be a compromise: 8' too long for comfortable kayak fishing and hauling myself in and out of tidal creeks accounts for more than one snapped rod. And 7"6" is too short for my intentions of throwing tiny jigs for the casting distance I want to get out front. For kayak/light backwater/river fishing I'm probably getting Snipe you have recommended. So I'll pick up another vr50 for the skinny 8'6" and that's the oceanside taken care of. Next year offshore gets a modern revamp.

I love all my gear, specially surf rods: each one an arrow from Cupids quiver. My all time favorite, grab and go to, everywhere, anytime(not the canal): 10 ft Blackhole East Coast Special 3/4-4 oz with VR 150. great scout rod, eel rig, mid-sized boulder fields, jetty, open beach: relatively lightweight, tons of backbone, throws anything else very good in it's rangebut not perfect. For open beach plugging perfection: 9'6" Century Sling shot with VR 75. Light weight, casts 1.5 a mile. Open beach: big fish / big water : 10'6" Century Slingshot Vr150.

Stripers eat sticks floating on the surface( aka needle fish lures). I don't think a TA clip or duo lock even appear on their radar screen.

I'm looking into rigging up a 30 ft wind on leader with an inline swivel and direct tie everything...even with my stiff fingers at midnight it only takes a few seconds to tie a 5-turn clinch or loop knot. It's easier for me to tie a clinch knot than manipulate a clip. I'm all for new tech, like knot-less connections, but until clips and other terminal tackle give way to new materials and methods, simple is best and with this leader you ditch the clip, get the castabilty of braid and the convenience of mono/flouro. Never again having to touch braid while actually fishing? Winner winner.

TA clips are secure, but for some of us, stiff knuckles and fingers make using clips and snaps a challenge. Duo-locks work best for me, but when the TA clips first showed up I was hoping they would be a better choice. I'm always looking for alternate terminal tackle solutions and the introduction of braid really complicated things...I'm thinking of a tapered leader with welded loop for attatching mono replaceable working ends that tie directly to your lure or swivel. Or just crank on a twenty foot length of mono/flouro leader and direct tie everything with the simplest knot that works for you. Simple works best in surf conditions.

I fish in Maine only for practice...I always advise people living south of Portland that Vermont's secret coastal region is a striper hot spot.

Wire ties rule in a pinch...like duct tape. Lost my last bucktail one night: several miles down the beach, crazy striper bite, red bucks killing it. Quick grabbed a 1/2 ounce bank sinker, wire tie, and a red kegger cup from the truck trash bag: trimmed the cup and cut slices to make hula-skirt type deal. Wrapped it round the fat part of the sinker and tied it tight with a wire tie while also securing a Dacron loop assist hook. Tied it on, then gave it a timid toss into the deep trough ten yards offshore, full of finning linesides...action was a little "stiff" haha...but it was red, got some attention, and stayed together long enough to catch one more and put the smile back on my face...hate going home with mainline dangling and one less lure.

Tandem rigged 12" blurple sluggo: The MVP of my tackle bag all last summer and fall...after dark did not need anything else..great scout lure, high percentage performer. As a scout bait it worked best from a rocky point, fan casting three ranges: open water, current seam, then concentrating white water wash backs and ledge overhangs. Let the sluggo do its thing...just keep contact...killed them up here in Maine. I would advise stocking up because everybody is talking about the luck they had fishing them last fall. Would love to learn how to rig them my self...hey Utube.

Hey thanks for the offer...unless you live nearby, most people aren't aware how good the spring striper run is on the Delaware. My wife's family has lived on the river for generations, fishing the whole time without even knowing snipers could be had. If I go the 7'6" route the Snipe is where I'm heading...just started thinking about trying salmon river-drift fishing and considered having a salmon rod that could double up as a back-bay spring run set up that can cast 3/8 a mile. Small baits have been by far the most productive for me outback...especially the little "velcro crabs" I cut out and glue to the tops of a tiny jig heads. Another excellent small bait not many try are two inch strips of red shoelaces with a hook threaded through the ends: first spring bite are the little red worms that hatch when the flats start heating up...I've caught perch and striper double headers on an over under rig using a tiny plastic jerk shad up top and a piece red string for a teaser on the bottom hook.